Desk or cabinet



(No Model.)

T. BILLINGTON. DESK O-R CABINET.

No. 494,406. Patnted Mar. 28', 1893.

INVENTOH ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEOPHILUS BILLINGTON, OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

DESK OR CABINET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 494,406, dated March 28, 1893. Application filed November 8, i892. serial No. 451,339. .(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THEOPHILUS BILLING- TON, of Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Desks or Cabinets, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in desks or cabinets, and especially to that class of desks or cabinets adapted for bold ing type-writing machines, or machines of like character.

The object of the invention is to provide a cabinet which will be of exceedingly simple yet durable construction, which may be economically manufactured, and to so construct the cabinet that when it is closed the machine it is adapted to carry will be completely concealed and protected, and wherein when the cabinet is opened the machine may be operated with as much ease as though the machine were placed upon an ordinary table, and whereby further, when the cabinet is opened, an extensive table will be provided at each side of the machine for the reception of work which is to be performed or which has been executed, or for any purpose that the operator may desire.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 isa perspective view of the cabinet or desk closed. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the article of furniture open; and Fig. 3 is a detail view illustrating the manner in which the leaves are supported.

The body A of the structure consists of an upright panel 10 constituting the back, a table 13, secured to the front of the back and extending at an angle forwardly therefrom, the table being provided with a drawer 12, and legs 13, which support the table near its forward edge, the legs being located one at each side of the table; and preferably the legs are connected with the back panel in such manner as to afford a shelf 14 beneath the table and to provide for an ornamental appearance;

A roll-top 15, is held to slide across the upper portion of'the back panel and down at the rear thereof, suitable grooves being produced in the panel to receive the side edges of the top. The roll-top may be made in any suitable or approved manner, and any desired material may be employed in its construction. The top par-takes of the character of what is generally known as a Derby top, it being corrugated and preferably constructed of a series of slats or strips connected by a flexible or pliable material in a manner to produce an exterior, continuous corrugated surface. The bottom bar 15 of the roll-top is providedvat its extremities with pins 16, as is best shown in Fig. 2, and when the topis rolled up or opened, as shown in Fig. 2, the major portion of the top is. concealed behind the back pane1,the bottombar of the top only being visible at the front of said panel. A-

bottom board 17, is secured upon the upper surface of the table 11, in any suitable or approved manner. Upon this bottom board the type-writing machine, or other article to be inclosed in the cabinet or desk, is placed and secured. At each end of the bottom board 17 a leaf 18, is located, the leaf and bottom board being connected byhinges of any approved type; and the leaves 18, are preferably given an ornamental shape. Ordinarily their back and upper edges are straight while their forward edges are formed upon the lines of a compound curve. Each leaf upon its inner face, adjacent to its upper and front margins, is provided with a groove or channel 19, and when the leaves are in an upright position the grooves or channels 19 connect with the grooves or channels in the back panel of the body of the cabinet, or those channels in which the roll-top has movement in the panel.

The leaves are held both in a horizontal and a vertical position preferably through the medium of links 20. These links receive pins 21, located upon the back of the leaves, and likewise pins 22, placed upon the back panel. Each link is preferably provided near one of its ends with a recess 23, best shown in Fig. 3. When the leaves are in a horizontal position the ends of the links are in engagement with the pins 21 and 22, and when the leaves are folded to their vertical position the links are carried across the inner face of the back panel, and the upper pins 22 enter the recesses 23 of the links, thereby locking the links of the back panel and efiectually holding the leaves in their closed position.

When it is desired to close the cabinet or desk the leaves are carried upward until the pins 16 in the bottom bar of the roll-top enter the channels 19 in the leaves, whereupon the links will lock the leaves in an upright posi tion, and the roll-top maybe drawn down following the channels in the leaves, and the said roll-top may then be locked either to the table 11 or to the bottom board 17, or provision may be made for locking the roll-top at its upper end. The top of the cabinet ordesk may be ornamented in any suitable or approved manner; in the drawings a mirror is represented as mounted upon the back panel.

By means of the above construction acabinet is obtained which when opened forms a smooth table surface, and which when closed effectually protects anything placed within it. The article can be constructed with an eye to beauty of design, economy of space when closed and an abundance of room when opened.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A cabinet or desk comprising the table provided with a vertical back transversely slotted at or near its upper edge, a roller top working through said slot and having an exposed cross piece 15 provided at its ends with pins or lugs 16, the vertically swinging leaves hinged at their lower edges to the opposite ends of the table to swing-into horizontal position or into vertical position with their rear edges abutting against said back; the inner faces of the leaves near their outer margins being provided with grooves 19 to receive said pins or lugs, and locking and supporting devices for locking the leaves when in their vertical positions and supporting them when swung down, substantially as set forth.

2. A cabinet or desk comprising the table provided at its rear edge with a back having a roller top 15 Working in a transverse slot through its upper portion and provided at its exposed end 15 with lugs or pins 16, the vertically swinging leaves 18 hinged at their lower edges to the ends of the table to swing down into horizontal alignment or swing up in vertical positions with their rear edges abutting the said back; the inner faces of the leaves near their outer margins being provided with grooves 19 receiving the pins, the slotted links 20 parallel with the front faces of the back and pivoted at their outer ends to the rear edges of the leaves near their swinging edges and sliding on pins 22 on the front face of the back at opposite sides thereof, said links having notches or recesses 23 in the upper walls of their slots near the outer ends thereof and adapted to engage the pins 22 when the leaves are swung up to lock said leaves in place, substantially as set forth.

TI-IEOPI-IILUS BILLINGTON. lVitnesses:

J. D. FOURAKER, G. D. LAUDERDALE. 

